Talent v Fit

(Posted on 6/21/13 at 10:24 am)

Let's say you have a chance to draft two different guys and you will draft one or the other:

One is a guy that should not be their when you pick. You have him ranked much higher, talent wise. You have no specific need for him, but could obviously play him as his talent is so high. However, he is not a perfect fit with the system you run at this time.

The other guy you consider to be a better fit for the team. He is more what you need and fits what your team does (the system). However, as a talent, you have him ranked several spots lower than the other guy.

If the guy with talent doesn't fit so much to the point that you think it would hamper his development then I'd have to consider taking the guy who's the better fit. There are players in every team sport who are considered busts and for many of them are busts because they simply went to the wrong type of team.

On the other side, there are players who come out of nowhere and develop nicely because they fit the system so well.

It really depends on the situation. But typically I think I'd pick the guy with talent despite what I said above because normslly a guy with enough talent will be able to adjust and fit to any team's system.

Or if the problem is it would create a log jam then you have to look at cost-benefit. Is this player talented enough that he's worth drafting and in turn trading one of your current players at that same position to create more room for him? For example, is drafting Anthony Bennett worth trading Ryno? I say no even though we could get some talent for Ryno.

It's easier for me to accept someone capable of starting for us or being a top sub for us than someone who is talented but would be buried on the bench to the point where they never play.

For example, I could go with "talent" on McLemore or several other guys out there because, even if they're not being used to their best ability, we can find a role for them because we have the minutes.

With a guy like Bennett, not so much unless Davis becomes a center full-time and Anderson becomes the starting 4.

Always take BPA. The only reason not to is if there just aren't enough minutes available which would cause the value of the guy you picked to decline. Basically if Bennett can't play SF then we should either trade the pick or pick someone else.